Author's notes: Thank you so much to everyone who's reading this story and especially to those who take the time to let me know their thoughts. It's always great to hear from you.
Patrick's reaching across the seat and is about to unlock the babies belt when he hears a loud noise. He instantly understands what's about to happen but has no time to do anything to defend himself from the impact. He's thrown against the empty driver's seat and then his head volley's back to hit the back of the baby's car seat. He's vaguely aware of pain exploding in his ribs, he then drops to the floor as he blacks out. It's only momentary and as he returns to consciousness, noise assaults his ears. He's trying to make sense of where he is and what's happening. When he realises where he is, his memory begins to return. He turns slightly to push himself up, his ribs protest but he's able to take a look at the baby, and is grateful to find it's not injured. He's aware of voices outside the car and wonders why no-one is checking on him. He shouts for Teresa but there's no reply. He starts to back his way out of the car when the door next to the baby opens. Patrick looks towards it to find a man in the doorway.
"Just stay where you are sir, help is on its way."
"And be a sitting duck for some other jerk not watching the road. Just get the baby to safety."
Patrick watches the man take the baby from the car seat and then he slowly backs out of the car. It's painful but he doesn't think his ribs are broken. He crawls out on his knees and feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, he's expecting Teresa but it's a different woman's voice that speaks:
"Sir, lay down an ambulance is on its way."
He shrugs her off.
"I'm fine. Where's Teresa?"
The woman looks at him and then he sees realisation dawn on her and then a glimpse of something else that she covers up as she looks beyond his shoulder.
He turns around looking for Teresa. He sees a car on the on the verge and a couple of people kneeling on the ground at the front of the car. A terrible thought enters his head and horror courses through his body, he struggles to his feet and stumbles towards them calling Teresa's name.
Everything seems to happen in slow motion as the second car hits the disabled vehicle, Teresa's stunned momentarily and finds herself unable to move, she puts her head in gear and mentally tells herself to help him. Her concentration totally on Patrick she's unaware of another car that's swerved to avoid colliding but is now heading straight for her. It hits her without her even registering it's existence.
Patrick's Good Samaritan is following in his wake, he can feel her touching his arm.
"Sir you need to lay down."
When he reaches the front of the car he sees her lying on the ground motionless. Her name catches in his throat. He drops to his knees besides her and takes her hand, saying her name to try to rouse her. His eyes sweep up and down her body and he's relieved to find no limbs in impossible positions, it looks like she's in one piece at least. His hand moves to her face, the paleness standing out against her dark hair, and he gently strokes her cheek, but there's no reaction.
"C'mon Teresa, wake up. Open your eyes Teresa.
Some one is holding a white handkerchief against her temple on the other side of her face, Jane looks up at the man.
"Is it a bad cut?"
The man shakes his head. Jane reaches over and moves the stranger's hands needing his own confirmation. Blood is oozing out of a cut half an inch in length and the area around it is grazed and bruising, little bits of gravel are pressed into her skin. Jane lightly brushes some away.
"Sir, I must keep the pressure up."
Jane slowly nods his head and moves his hand away, the handkerchief is back in place. He returns to stroking her cheek. Jane feels somewhat bewildered at the rapid deterioration of his world, the air has a surreal quiet surrounding him although he's aware that outside of it the children are still crying and a crowd has gathered. He's brought back to reality as the sound of sirens begins to fill the air.
A paramedic kneels beside him gently urging him to leave Teresa's side so she can look him over and her colleagues can see to his wife.
"She's not my wife. She's my partner, my friend."
"I can see you care about her, so let them give her the help she needs."
Jane reluctantly let's go of her hand and the Paramedic helps him stand.
"Let's get you over to the ambulance and have a look at you. You're friend will join us when my colleagues have finished helping her."
Jane allows himself to be guided to one of the waiting ambulances and when he's sat down at the edge of the open doors his eyes immediately go to where Teresa is lying, still unconscious. The paramedic patiently urges his co-operation in her examination of him. She wraps him in a blanket when he starts to shiver,
"You don't seem to have any major trauma but you need to be examined at the hospital."
She looks over and sees that her colleagues are getting the female patient ready for transport.
"Let's get you inside Mr. Jane and you can travel to the hospital with your friend."
Jane climbs in and sits down on a seat in the back corner of the ambulance. Teresa's loaded in on a stretcher, she's still unconscious. The doors are closed and the ambulance sets off with it's siren blasting.